Tree and Kalidasa

I saw again, a Movie on Kalidasa, I had seen it earlier also in Kannada, Telugu and Tamil. I liked the songs. I like Kalidasa for his Abhijnana Shakuntalam, which gave our land the name – BHARATH.

His ignorance was such, he sat on the edge of the branch of a tree and started cutting it from the tree, to be coaxed and brought down by the minister of the kingdom. This minister was instrumental in the marriage of princess Vidyottamma, to Kalidasa, to avenge the snubbing he received from her. Minister deceived her about Kalidasa’s intelligence

Kalidasa was not educated, he was Ignorant and Coarse, He was an ardent Devotee of Kali. He was handsome, and was attracted to and married by princess Vidyottamma. Later rejected by her for his ignorance, and was challenged by her to become learned, he prays Kali, and blessed by her, he becomes a Poet. Thus he meets the challenge of his Wife.

Kalidasa scaled the heights from ignorance, and became greatest Poet and Dramatist in Sanskrit, to the extent that his Work was the first to be translated into English.

In this era of ungrateful people, the above quote is relevant to the point of cutting the branch, of every thing he comes across, from the mainstream of

The Tree in Kalidasa film, Klidasa’s ignorance, his Endeavour to become learned, the selfishness of the Minister and Desire (unrealistic) of the princess, asked me to write this article. This is said by many, in many forums, I am only reemphasizing the importance of a tree in our life.

The Tree is a symbol of a family and a Nation. It has many branches. For revenue records Family Tree is required (Katha change etc). Each branch is as important as the other, as in the family each member is as important as the other. For a Nation, coordination between each State or Government is essential.

Tree is a Living being, though not moving, it regenerates, it grows, it breathes, it drinks water, it sleeps, it has pain, it can listen to music and reacts. Tree gives us Oxygen to live, Cools the clouds, causing Rain. Tree shelters a travelling man on a summer day. It reduces the pollution created by man. It is a representative of Nature, balancing Ecology and Environment.

Man in a village climbs to have a better view to safe guard his farm land, cattle, sheep etc. He climbs to collect the fruits for his use/marketing. He climbs to bring leaves to build his hut. We use it as wood for Door/Window panels and frames. We make idols out of it. We use it for Furniture. We use it for making strong Ropes. We do it based on the quality or purpose of its usage. We should not cut a tree which gives us Fruits; other trees can be, provided you plant another to balance the loss. Tree is worshiped like a God.Trimoorthis live in the tree: Moolatho Brahmaroopaya, Madhyatho Vishnuroopane, Agratasya shivaroopaya, Vruksha Rajayathe Namaha.

Man thinks he is clever, but ignorant of his own future. In the mind frame of cleverness he kicks out the ladder he has climbed, when he climbs a tree, he feels the branch is his and wants to take it away; ignoring the fact that cut branch cannot yield any thing after the cut, but he gets crushed under it. It is said that the tree planted by Vidura at viduraswatha was seen until 2001, there are many examples of trees living for generations. Man is short-lived when compared to the life of a tree, but wants to make the life of the tree also short for his selfish gains. Tree serves the earth for centuries where as man destroys it fast.

By cutting a tree all cannot become Kalidasa, but can get destroyed, either philosophically or commercially, as the Prince lost, from her life, one of the 9 Gems in the court of Vikramadithya. Also man’s Treachery can be is seen in Kalidasa’s murder by a courtesan in Sri Lanka by a conspiracy, during the reign of Kumaradasa.

Let us save the trees, Let us save the environment, Let us save the Nature, Let us save the Earth. Let us come out of Greed and selfishness and LET US SAVE OURSELVES.